Device for fastening a dial to a watch movement

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for connecting the dial to the plate of a watch movement in which the plate has holes in it and feet from the dial protrude into these holes. In the plane of the plate there is a spring normally biased to intersect the plate holes through which the dial feet protrude. It is possible to hold the spring away from its normal position to permit installation of the dial feet and then to release it to lock the dial in position.

United States Patent Glan zmann et al.

[ 51 May 8,1973

DEVICE FOR FASTENING A DIAL TO A WATCH MOVEMENT Inventors: .Werner Glanzmann, Bettlach; Ro-

land Zaugg, Grechen, both of Switzerland Assignee: A. Schild S.A., Grenchen (Canton of Soleure), Switzerland Filed: Nov. 8, 1971 Appl. No.: 196,372

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 26, 1970 Switzerland ..17505/70 US. Cl. ..58/127 B, 29/225, 29/235 Int. Cl. ..G04b 19/06 Field of Search ..58/127 B; 29/225,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,775 1/1905 Bookwalter ..58/127 B 1,065,952 7/1913 Marsh ..58/127 B 1,074,130 9/1913 Miller ..58/127 B 3,488,943 1/1970 Giger et al. ..58/127 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 76,707 9/1917 Switzerland ..58/127 B Primary ExaminerGeorge H. Miller, Jr. Att0meyStevens, Davis, Miller and Mosher 57 ABSTRACT A mechanism for connecting the dial to the plate of a watch movement in which the plate has holes in it and feet from the dial protrude into these holes. In the plane of the plate there is a spring normally biased to intersect the plate holes through which the dial feet protrude. It is possible to hold the spring away from its normal position to permit installation of the dial feet and then to release it to lock the dial in position 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented May 8, 1973 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented May 8,1973 3,731,482

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 DEVICE FOR FASTENING A DIAL TO A WATCH MOVEMENT The object of the present invention is a device for fastening a dial to the pillar plate of a watch movement by the engagement of feet which are integral with the dial into holes formed in the pillar plate parallel to the axis of the movement, which device comprises elastic members, each of which has a bevel the edge of which rests laterally against one of the feet to fasten it in one of the said holes.

It is known that the customary devices for fastening dial feet to the pillar plate of watch movements comprise screws or other locking members such as eccentrics or levers which are engaged laterally in holes provided in the edge of the pillar plate.

ln particular, one device of the first-mentioned type is known in which the elastic members are formed of cut plates housed in recesses provided on the back of the pillar plate, these plates being connected to the pillar plate by engagement of a slot which they have at one of their ends onto a pivot which is integral with the against the dial foot is provided along the elastically deformable portion, the plates are brought into diallocking position by rotation around their pivot and cocking, this rotation being controlled by means of a laterally directed tool, while the cocking assures the holding in fastening position thereof. I

One of the disadvantages of most of the known fastening devices is that they requirerelatively complicated machining operations such as, for instance, drilling and the tapping of a hole perpendicular to the axis of the pillar plate in the thickness of the latter, the putting in place of pivots on the back of the pillar plate, etc. Furthermore, all these known devices require manual intervention for the putting in place thereof, so that it is not possible completely to mechanize the dialposition-ing operation. g

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device of the first-mentioned type, the manu facture of which requires only very simple operations which include only a single fastening part and which the said elastic, members in positions in which they are.

elastically flexed and keep the said holes free so as to permit the engagement of the feet of the dial.

While the customary devices comprising screws, eccentrics or'levers require two operations carried out on the side of the movement, the device in accordance pillar plate. As the bevel intended to rest laterally with the invention makes it possible, as will be seen below, to effect the positioning of the dial in a single operation comprising only movements directed in the direction of the axis of the time piece.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of exam- FIG. 4 is a partial section on a larger scale along the line IV IV of FIG. 3. v

In FIG. 1 there can be noted the device as it is during the mounting of the movement before the putting in place of the dial. The pillar plate 1 has on its bridgeside face two recesses of small height, one of which is shown at 2 in the drawing, each of these recesses being milled in one of the regions where there are provided openings such as the opening 3 intended for the engagement of the feet of the dial. in the recess 2 there is housed a leaf spring 4 which will preferably be of steel and which comprises the following different portions:

The anchoring portion 5 is a cut out rigid linear element with two roundings at its ends, these roundings being force-fitted in corresponding notches in the wall of the recess 2. This portion 5 assures the fastening of the blade 4 to the pillar plate 1. The second portion 6 is a linear arm which extends from the portion 5 and which can flex in a plane parallel to that of the pillar plate. When the leaf spring is in rest position as shown in FIG. I, the end of the portion 6 protrudes to the inside of the periphery of the opening 3. This end of the portion 6 has a bevel 16 the purpose of which will be explained further below. The portion 6 is followed by a third portion 7 having a U or V shape which can itself flex elastically by closing itself slightly. This deformation can take place independently of the flexure of the portion 6. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the portion 7 comprises an element which extends approximately in radial direction with respect to the pillar plate 1 and which terminates in the immediate vicinity of the edge of the pillar plate where it forms a protruding head 8 which is rigid. Alongside of this protruding element there is cut out a notch 9 which opens towards the edge of the pillar plate. Finally, the leaf spring 4 also has a protrusion 10 which is located approximately on the straight line defined by the bend of the V of the portion 7 and the protruding element 8.

In FIG. 2 the leaf spring 4 is shown in its position of preparation for the placing of the dial. This operation can be carried out after the mounting of the movement A or upon the placing of the blade 4. The portions 6 and 7 are deformed elastically and are held in this deformed position by engagement of the protruding element 8 in a notch 11 provided in the wall of the recess 2. The side of this notch therefore forms a stop capable of retaining the blade 4 in a flexed position, since the end 5 of this blade is itself fastened rigidly to the pillar plate 1 It is 'seen that when the blade is in this position, the end of the portion 6 and in particular the bevel 16 are displaced out of the limits of the opening 3. On the other hand, the protrusion 10 has come to place itself in front of an'opening 12 which is provided through the pillar plate and to which there corresponds an opening of the same axis and same dimensions providedin one of the bridges of the movement which covers the recess 2. This bridge 13 is shown in FIG. 4 and also has an opening 14 which corresponds to the opening 3. ln FlG. 2 there is also shown one of the feet 15 of the dial 17. In the position of preparation shown in FIG. 2, the dial can be engaged by its feet entirely free in'the openings 3 and place itself into the exact position which it is to occupy. This operation can be carried out either by placing the dial on a support and engaging the movement on the feet 15 or, on the other hand, by engaging the feet 15 in the openings 3 by displacement of the dial.

ln order to effect the fastening of the dial, it is merely necessary to release the blade 4 by freeing its protruding element 8 from the notch 11. This operation will be carried out by engaging a conical point from the face of the movement which is opposite the dial into the openings 12. This conical point will laterally displace the protrusion 10, which will cause the element 8 to emerge from its retention notch 11. The two spring blades which assure the fastening of the two feet of the dial can easily be freed at the same time by the simple displacement of a tool having two points engaging in the openings 12.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the result of the unlocking operation of the blades 4. As a result of its elasticity, the end of the portion. 6 of each blade comes to rest laterally against the foot 15. As the latter is of brass or in certain cases of copper, while the leaf spring is of steel, the edge of the bevel-l6 engages slightly in the side face of the foot and blocks the dial. The foot is pressed against the wall of the opening 3 so that it cannot move. In order to reach this result, the bevel 16 is, of course, formed with an inclined plane directed towards the pillar plate.

If it is desired to separate the dial from the movement, it is sufficient to act with a tool of small height directed laterally in the notch 9 and to push the blade 4 into the recess 2 until the protruding head 8 is booked in the notch 11. The device is then in the position shown. in FIG. 2, so that the dial can be disengaged in entirely free fashion.

Summarizing, the device described has the following advantages:

The single part of which it is formed is a leaf spring which can be obtained by a simple cutting operation which is much simpler to carry out than the operations for the manufacture of the screws, levers or eccentrics previously employed.

As the leaf spring can, be placed directly in the position shown in FIG. 2, the unlocking of the two leaf springs assuring the fastening of the two feet of an ordinary dial can be effected in a single operation by means of a tool moving in the direction of the axis of the movement.

The leaf spring can be moved back easily into its inactive posi'tion, which makes it possible to free the dial while leaving intact the notch formed in the side wall of thefoot by the edge of the bevel 16, so that the dial can be put in place and blocked again under the same conditions as upon the mounting. e

As the engagement of the edge of the bevel 16 into the side wall of the foot 15 takes place under the effect of the elasticity of the portion 6 at the time of the placing of the dial, the location of said notch is automatically determined in such a manner as to prevent any play in the positioning of the dial.

What is claimed is:

1. Device for fastening a dial on the pillar plate of a watch movement by engagement of feet integral with the dial in holes provided in the pillar plate parallel to which they are e astically flexed to maintain the said holes free so as to permit insertion of the feet of the dial into the holes.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the pillar plate has disengagement holes parallel to the engagement holes for the feet of the dial and extending behind the dial, and the saidstops are arranged in such a manner that in their holding position, the said elastic members extend partially into the area of the disengagement holes.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the pillar plate has on its back recesses into each of which there extends an engagement hole of a dial foot and a disengagement hole, and by the fact that the said stops are each formed by the side of a notch provided in the edge of one of the said recesses.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the said elastic members are each formed of a spring blade housed in one of the said recesses and having at one of its ends a rigid portion fastened by forcefit between two notches provided in' the edge of the recess.

5. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the disengagement holes are provided in the frame elements fastened to the pillar plate.

6. Device according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that each elastic member comprises, from one end to the other, a first portion of rigid fastening to the pillar plate, a second linear portion capable of flexing in a plane perpendicular to the foot of the dial with respect to the first portion, said second portion having the said bevel at its end opposite the rigid fastening portion, and

' a third'portion of U shape capable of flexing indepen- 8. In a time piece, a plate having holes ther'ethrough, I

a dial having feet adapted to occupy said holes in said plate, resilient means anchored in said plate and normally biased so that a portion thereof intersects-said holes, means to retain said resilient means against said bias with said portion in non-intersecting position, whereby to permit insertion of said feet in said holes, and means to release said resilient means from said retaining means after said feet are in position whereby said portion will engage and hold said feet in said holes. 

1. Device for fastening a dial on the pillar plate of a watch movement by engagement of feet integral with the dial in holes provided in the pillar plate parallel to the axis of the movement, which device comprises elastic members each of which has a bevel the edge of which rests laterally against one of the feet to fasten it in one of the said holes, characterized by each of the said elastic members being fastened rigidly at one of its ends to the pillar plate, stop elements on the pillar plate capable of holding the elastic members in positions in which they are elastically flexed to maintain the said holes free so as to permit insertion of the feet of the dial into the holes.
 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the pillar plate has disengagement holes parallel to the engagement holes for the feet of the dial and extending behind the dial, and the said stops are arranged in such a manner that in their holding position, the said elastic members extend partially into the area of the disengagement holes.
 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the pillar plate has on its back recesses into each of which there extends an engagement hole of a dial foOt and a disengagement hole, and by the fact that the said stops are each formed by the side of a notch provided in the edge of one of the said recesses.
 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the said elastic members are each formed of a spring blade housed in one of the said recesses and having at one of its ends a rigid portion fastened by force-fit between two notches provided in the edge of the recess.
 5. Device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the disengagement holes are provided in the frame elements fastened to the pillar plate.
 6. Device according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that each elastic member comprises, from one end to the other, a first portion of rigid fastening to the pillar plate, a second linear portion capable of flexing in a plane perpendicular to the foot of the dial with respect to the first portion, said second portion having the said bevel at its end opposite the rigid fastening portion, and a third portion of U shape capable of flexing independently of the second portion and having at its free end on the one hand a protruding retaining element in blocking position and on the other hand an unlocking element.
 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the free end of the third portion of each elastic member extends to the vicinity of the edge of the pillar plate so as to be accessible laterally from the outside of the movement.
 8. In a time piece, a plate having holes therethrough, a dial having feet adapted to occupy said holes in said plate, resilient means anchored in said plate and normally biased so that a portion thereof intersects said holes, means to retain said resilient means against said bias with said portion in non-intersecting position, whereby to permit insertion of said feet in said holes, and means to release said resilient means from said retaining means after said feet are in position whereby said portion will engage and hold said feet in said holes. 